The Power of a Story

By Hong Su-yang (洪素養)
Compiled by Leslie Han (韓世曦)
                        Nick Chen (陳鼎棋)

The Power of a Story

By Hong Su-yang (洪素養)
Compiled by Leslie Han (韓世曦)
                        Nick Chen (陳鼎棋)

When Lin Yan-xin (林延信), a farmer from Hualien, Taiwan, sought shelter from the rain at a gas station, the manager, who happened to be a Tzu Chi volunteer, struck up a conversation with him. As they chatted, the volunteer shared a copy of Tzu Chi Monthly with Lin. Within the pages of the magazine, Lin came across a story about a flight attendant who mourned the loss of her colleague in a plane crash. Despite being unable to save her colleague, she hoped to save other lives, and therefore donated her bone marrow when the opportunity arose. Deeply moved by her story, Lin was inspired to follow suit and signed up for Tzu Chi's bone marrow registry.

In 2017, four-year-old Chen You-wei (陳宥維) was diagnosed with leukemia, plunging his family into profound sorrow. Since none of his family members matched his HLA type, they turned to Tzu Chi's bone marrow registry. Although the first match was found, the potential donor was unable to help. Just when the Chens were mired in disappointment and despair, a second match surfaced — and it happened to be none other than Lin.

Not only was Lin happy to donate his bone marrow, but he even quit his habit of drinking before bedtime to provide the boy with healthier stem cells. The boy's mother shared that he has become more confident and considerate since his health improved. Overflowing with gratitude for having her son back, she is determined to cherish every moment with him.

At a "Meet Your Donor" event in 2023, the boy said to Lin, "I was in great pain. But thanks to you, I get to grow up and go to school. I hope to one day be a contributing member of society." Upon hearing this, Lin encouraged the boy to give back with selfless love and help those in need. Deeply moved by Lin's love, the boy's father also expressed his gratitude to Lin, saying, "The leukemia diagnosis affected not just my son but our whole family. Today, my son carries not only part of your blood but also all of your love. We're committed to passing on this love by raising him to become a man of integrity and compassion." Following the boy's recovery, his parents also registered as bone marrow donors to save more lives.

From reading Tzu Chi Monthly to saving a boy's life, Lin Yan-xin exemplified how Tzu Chi spreads wholesome thoughts through its publications to nurture love and goodness in more people. Tzu Chi volunteers also supported Lin throughout his journey of bone marrow donation. "If it weren't for Tzu Chi volunteers, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet such an adorable kid," Lin recalled with gratitude.